Alhaji Abba Yola has bagged the prestigious Thomas Sankara Leadership Prize for Pan – African Icon of Sports Renaissance Award in honor of his leadership ideology and high administrative prudence in the field of sports.

Yola, the Chief of Staff to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, received the award over the weekend.

Mr. Mohammed Manga, Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, said this in a statement.

The President, of Youth Partnership For Africa’s Development (YOUPAD), Mr. Coulibaly Hameed described Yola as a consummate Pan Africanist.

He commended him for his well-articulated policies which had positively transformed sports development in various capacities of his services to Nigeria with his leadership of zero tolerance for corruption, nepotism, and favoritism.

”Past illustrious recipients of the prize, includes President Umar Al-Bashir of Sudan, Inspector General of Police of Nigeria (IGP) Ibrahim Idris, and Professor Chukwuma Ozumba, amongst other distinguished Africans,” he said.

In his acceptance speech, Yola attributed the recognition to the doggedness and pragmatic approach of Dare and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular.

“This achievement will not have been possible without the doggedness of my boss, Dare as well as the full support of Buhari, who is the father of sports in contemporary Nigeria, ” he said.

According to him, sports is a natural fit for him as he has been involved in different levels of its management and administration, from state to federal capacities.

While commending Hameed for the honor, Yola said, “this award will no doubt encourage me to continue to do what I know best, contribute to the development of our youths through sports”.